Borough of Collingswood, NJ Landlord Responsibility

Any landlord and/or owner of leased property located within the Borough of Collingswood shall be responsible for any activities, actions, events and conduct of any person and/or animal which occur in, on or about said premises or property. The landlord/owner's responsibility shall extend to and include, but not be limited to, any disorderly conduct, nuisance, offensive language and any other behavior or conduct which is a violation of any state statute or of any of the provisions of the Code of the Borough of Collingswood.

The landlord/owner of any such property located within the Borough of Collingswood shall be responsible and liable for the conduct and actions of any tenant, invitee, guest or any other person who is in, on or about the premises and/or property with the permission, either express or implied, of the landlord, owner, tenant, guest or invitee.

Except as otherwise provided herein, any owner or landlord of an apartment building which contains over 245 dwelling units shall be required to have present on the premises an unarmed security guard for 24 hours during each day of a year.

[Amended 4-5-2021 by Ord. No. 1705; 5-3-2021 by Ord. No. 1707]

(1)

Any owner or landlord required to provide twenty-four-hour security at an apartment building may be relieved of this requirement, provided that they have submitted a detailed security plan, including evacuation procedures, which shall be subject to the review and approval of the Borough's Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Public Safety. Such plan should include measures and procedures designed to protect the apartment building tenants and their visitors from criminal activity, unsafe conditions and incidents of nuisance and harassment. The proposed alternative security plan shall include the information listed below for consideration by the Chief of Police and Commissioner of Public Safety:

(a)

A map of all points of public entry to the apartment building and a description of all security measures (e.g., locks, alarms, access key pads, security cameras, foot patrols) to restrict access by unauthorized persons;

(b)

A description of procedures for limiting access to keys and pass codes for all entrances to tenants and other authorized persons;

(c)

Procedures for maintaining records which shall include the dates and a description of all incidents of unauthorized entrance to the apartment building and any unlawful behavior;

(d)

Procedures for maintaining records which shall include the dates and a detailed description of all tenant complaints of suspected criminal activity, assaults, threatening conduct or harassment, all incidents of general breach of the peace or tenants' rights to quiet enjoyment within the building and their apartments and a detailed description of the action taken in response to each complaint;

(e)

Proposed security procedures as an alternative to the twenty-four-hour guard requirement, including a staffing plan and a description of the security measures to be implemented for all points of access and entry to the apartment building;

(f)

Procedures for maintaining records of regular audits of all security procedures to ensure that the security plan is current date and approved procedures are being followed;

(g)

Procedures for maintaining proof that background checks, including criminal history checks, will be conducted on all employees, including all persons with access to tenant units;

(h)

Procedures for maintaining records analyzing past incidents of crime and violence on all apartment premises and the immediate surrounding neighborhood, no less than quarterly, to assess the adequacy of the security plan.

(2)

Any owner of an apartment building that has received approval for an alternative security plan shall resubmit the security plan annually in the month of January, including any proposed changes, to the Borough's Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Public Safety for review and approval.

(3)

The Chief of Police and the Commissioner of Public Safety shall be authorized to approve or deny the security plan presented. Any approval granted to the owner of an apartment building as provided herein may be rescinded at any time that the Chief of Police and Commissioner of Public Safety determine that such plan fails to comply with the approved procedures of the security plan or which fails to provide adequate security and safety for the apartment building tenants and their visitors.

Upon the occurrence of any violation of this article, the landlord or owner of the property shall be put on notice by receiving written notification of said violation from the person so designated by the Borough Commissioners to forward said notice. Said notice shall generally inform the landlord and/or owner of the nature of the violation and the date upon which said violation occurred. Said notice shall also state that any subsequent violation of this article may result in said landlord and/or owner being cited and otherwise charged with a violation of said article, which may result in a hearing on said violation to be heard in the Borough of Collingswood Municipal Court.

If any violation of this article occurs subsequent to written notification being sent to said landlord and/or owner in accordance with the above provisions, then said landlord and/or owner shall be cited for violation of this article and noticed for a hearing to be held in the Borough of Collingswood Municipal Court.